Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton doesn’t care that his team faces long odds of making the playoffs when the NBA season resumes later this month, saying that hearing the doubts of those who count the Suns only makes desire to “silence them even more.”
“We are coming to work. We worked,” Ayton told reporters during a video call on Thursday afternoon. “We thank the championship for choosing us as one of the teams. We are grateful and we are getting to work. That’s all. All the media have to say, we will only use it to add to the fuel.”
Phoenix is six games away from a playoff in the West and is expected to pass at least four teams in eight games to qualify for the play-in series for seed no. 8 in the West. ESPN’s latest projections by Kevin Pelton predict that the Suns will playoffs only 0.4% of the time.
But the Suns had a better payout percentage on the road this season (.433) than they did at home (.371), so Ayton said they can’t wait to play Orlando, Florida with the possibility to tie and make history by returning to make the playoffs.
“When we travel, that’s where we have our best games. That’s where we meet,” Ayton said. “That’s where Coach makes us think it’s us against the world. And it’s the best feeling for me. We know what the media is like when it comes to the sun, we’re real here. We all know that feeling. It’s a feeling of where we know it, we didn’t come to play. “
After the NBA season was suspended in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic, Ayton took his time to return to basketball while he was recovering from a left ankle injury.
“I had a break. I was happy. I played 2K,” said Ayton. “I felt like I was in high school. I played 2K all day. I jumped from sleep to play all day. I didn’t really have any difficulties [being away from basketball].
“Everyone was on me to go to the gym, but obviously I took it where I put it in my program later in quarantine. I definitely took the opportunity to take that break, removing that load. I think that’s why I have so much energy I wasn’t thinking about it and I wasn’t just waiting for the world to return to normal. “
Ayton suffered from what he called a small bone bruise in his left ankle on March 3. He said the rehab process was tougher because things had to happen remotely.
“Rehabilitation was tough because, you know, it was quarantined and I looked for people who couldn’t come to see me to help me physically,” Ayton said. “… The suns, Cory [Schlesinger], our strength and conditioning trainer, sent me some things to help my ankle. I have a weight room at home, so I was working there until it was time to open the facility for individual training. “
During those individual trainings, Ayton said he worked on his 3-point shot. Ayton is 0 out of 7 from the bottom of his NBA career, a bit of a disappointment after showing some ability to shoot long distance (12 out of 35) at college in Arizona.
But now he feels confident in his 3-pointer.
“I’m shooting that 3 ball like it’s an average [midrange shot]”Ayton said.” This is an average shot now. “
He also worked with Mark Bryant, Suns’ deputy engineer, to block the shots. Ayton said he was trying to block “every hit” possible when he returned from his 25-game suspension for testing positive for a banned substance.
“Even with the ball switches, I was doing my best to press up on anything,” said Ayton. “Every opportunity I have had to show my defense because I know everyone is looking at me. I tried to show that everyone was wrong to come back. It was a big chip.
“Coach [Bryant] I was on my back to read the defense, block the blows with different hands, how to avoid contact and simply block the shot, how not to send it out of bounds so I can have extra possessions, things like that. “
When the Suns arrive in Orlando, Ayton says it won’t be strange to play games in front of any fan. He mentioned having to do it sometimes in high school. He also said that his familiarity with playing in Orlando will help.
“I already know Orlando. I know the gym where we will play. It will take me back to the AAU season,” said Ayton. “I feel like we’re playing for the Peach Jam semifinals right now.”
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